nourished. He had done something new and
something big: a big thing done in a big way. The Montague girl would
see that the leading man who had done so much to insure the success of
Baird's striving for the worth-while drama was not unforgetful of her
favours and continuous solicitude.

He thought first of a ring, but across the blank brick wall of the
jewellery shop he elected to patronize was an enormous sign in white:
The House of Lucky Wedding Rings. This staring announcement so alarmed
him that he not only abandoned the plan for a ring-any sort of ring
might be misconstrued, he saw-but in an excess of caution chose another
establishment not so outspoken. If it kept wedding rings at all, it
was decently reticent about them, and it did keep a profusion of other
trinkets about which a possible recipient could entertain no false
notions. Wrist watches, for example. No one could find subtle or hidden
meanings in a wrist watch.

He chose a bauble that glittered prettily on its black silk bracelet,
and was not shocked in the least when told by the engaging salesman that
its price was a sum for which in the old days Gashwiler had demanded a
good ten weeks of his life. Indeed it seemed rather cheap to him when
he remembered the event it should celebrate. Still, it was a pleasing
trifle and did not look cheap.

"Do you warrant it to keep good time?" he sternly demanded.

The salesman became diplomatic, though not without an effect of genial
man-to-man frankness. "Well, I guess you and I both know what women's
bracelet-watches are." He smiled a superior masculine smile that drew
his customer within the informed brotherhood. "Now here, there's a
platinum little thing that costs seven hundred and fifty, and this one
you like will keep just as good time as that one that costs six hundred
more. What could be fairer than that?"

"All right," said the customer. "I'll take it." During the remaining
formalities attending the purchase the salesman, observing that he dealt
with a tolerant man of the world, became even franker. "Of course no
one," he remarked pleasantly while couching the purchase in a chaste bed
of white satin, "expects women's bracelet-watches to keep time. Not even
the women."

"Want 'em for looks," said the customer.

"You've hit it, you've hit it!" exclaimed the salesman delightedly, as
if the customer had expertly probed the heart of a world-old mystery.

He had now but to await his great moment. The fin